Refusing Politely !

Thank-you for your interest. We have elected to proceed with another bid. Just tell him what happened. You were able to get it done for cheaper. Also tell him you are open to working with him in the future.

Sometimes you get the best performance from contractors when they know you have other options. If you have a budget limit then inform them of that as well.

Genuinely hear their request.

Try to make sure you let the customer know you're HEARING them by using words like, "I understand." If they're going for something that you simply can't deliver, tell them, "I understand their situation, but unfortunately, that's outside of our control"-

Focus on what you CAN do.

Restate the problem and that you understand how upset they must be. Offer multiple solutions so they'll know you're on their side. Focus on the things you are able to do, rather than the ones you aren't.

Be gentle and provide next steps.

It's important to be real and upfront with your customers but in a gentle manner. They are the most valuable part of your business, and you need to be transparent if you want them to use your product or service again. When saying no, inform them of your company policies and always offer a solution or next step, as this will show what you're doing to better the situation.

Don't waste time, but don't burn bridges either.

'Churn' customers hurt profitability. It costs a ton to get first-time customers. These vampires suck customer service time and sometimes worse, executives' time. Before saying no, remember your reputation. The way you say it and send the customer on their way is critical, so suggest a better solution and thank them for their business. They'll usually appreciate rather than flame you.

Decline with gratitude.

You never want to burn a bridge--nor do you want to compromise yourself to satisfy a customer. Say no with kindness and gratitude and you'll do so while maintaining your own values.

Offer alternatives.

As a business owner, it may be hard to reject a customer. But it is critical that you selectively say no to avoid spending more than you'll get in return. A diplomatic way to turn away a customer is by suggesting alternative providers who may offer the exact product or service they are looking for. This approach is generally well received because you are still going out of your way to help them.

Position yourself as the expert.

I often have to respectfully remind my clients that I'm the expert in marketing, and they are the expert in their field. I know what I'm doing, and that's why they hired me. If something isn't best for their marketing efforts (i.e. it won't get them leads) I would be doing them a disservice to not say something. So, "No, I don't think that's best for you" usually works pretty well.

Be clear, transparent and upfront.

The best way to say no to a customer is not to say no. Provide them with not only alternative solutions to their problem, but solutions that go above and beyond to demonstrate the value you place on the relationship. If you have to say no, be clear, transparent and upfront about it so you don't miscalibrate expectations.-

Refusals should never be too hard. When you have to say no to somebody, be cautious about it. Refusals or rejections are things that people do not take lightly. Who likes to be refused? 

However, there are some ways in which you can go about your refusals and still make sure that no one ends up with hurt feelings. There are some common rules that apply to all types of situations where you are refusing someone. These guidelines will help you make elegant refusals that sound acceptable and you do not lose out on your credibility or make enemies in the process. 

We learn how we can refuse in a polite manner so that it is not taken too hard. In the kind of times in which we live, it is very important to learn these techniques so that we do not generate too much ill will in the process.

Rejecting an offer for something has to be done in a way that will ensure the other party will not feel rejected. Doing it this helps a person understand the reasons for your negative answer. 

A simple example: if a person offers you a cup of tea or coffee, there are two ways that you can answer negatively. 

In the first method, you will answer no and leave it at that. Using this method is not advised. This is because the other party might take the rejection personally. They might think you rejected them because of something else. This might not be the case but the other

 party will not be able to understand you did not have any bad intentions. They might think that you do not want to have tea in their place. 

The second method is by refusing politely and giving your reasons. It is not mandatory to explain yourself, but sometimes it is advisable. You can decline taking the tea or coffee by saying no thanks. You can further explain that you had just eaten. You can further say that you can have water instead. By doing this, the other party will have a full understanding of your reasons for rejecting an offer. They will not have reasons to think that you have other intentions nor will they have hurt feelings. 

The same case will apply in business. A person might offer you a job or a business venture. In this situation, it might be taken the wrong way when you reject an offer out of hand. 

However, you can explain to them that your plate is full at the moment and you cannot embark on anything else. You can even assure them that once you are through with what you are doing, you will be ready and willing to work on what they wanted you to work on. Be sure to be thankful for the thought and/or suggestion that they have made. 

Most of the business relationships that have gone sour do so because of slight misunderstandings. Someone might think that you are not being respectful and that is why you have refused the offer. They might even think that you do not consider them as worthy people to do business with. This might bring a lot of hurt feelings to the rejected party. And who knows where that might lead! 

Relationships are the most sensitive areas for rejection. When someone wants to go out on a date with you and you refuse, it might lead to hurt feelings. 

If you are not able to come up with a good excuse, you can tell them that you appreciate the offer but you are already seeing someone.

When you tell them this, they will not take the negative answer personally. They will understand that you are committed to someone and if it were not the case, you would have gone out with them.

Having such things in mind will help you be able to get what you want without stepping on anybody’s toes.

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